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This is misleading.

In Australia, criminal behaviour can incur fines[1]:

> Fines are monetary fines (criminal penalty) imposed by courts in criminal proceedings. Criminal standard of proof is required.

The ACCC has pretty significant ability to impose penalties:

> The maximum penalties per breach of the ACL [..] maximum penalties for breaches [..] will be the greater of: $10,000,000; or If Court can determine "reasonably attributable" benefit obtained, 3 times that value, or if Court cannot determine benefit, 10% of annual turnover in preceding 12 months.

[1] https://www.accc.gov.au/business/business-rights-protections...



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punitive_damages

Not all fines are punitive damages.


Exemplary damages is the Australian legal term of art for damages that are functionally identical to punitive damages.


Well you have to dumb it down for the Americans.

The nature of the business though is that they're almost never awarded, except maybe for contempt of court?

Certainly not in a significant quantity against a corporation.


Commonwealth bank was recently fined $700m

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/9831064


it’s different terminology. no need to baselessly insult americans

They are awarded in a certain sets of circumstances. Contempt of court is far from the only example

substantial sums exemplary damages are certainly capable of being awarded against a corporation on the right set of facts


civil infringements can incorporate deterrence as a factor for damages awards also




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